Folding shed

ABSTRACT

A folding shed may include a roof portion, a lateral portion and a bottom portion, said lateral portions forming two lateral sides of the shed that connects the roof portion and the bottom portion. Each roof portion, lateral portion and bottom portion includes a plurality of connecting units and hinge units, and each hinge unit is configured to pivotally connect with a longitudinal side of one connecting unit and pivotally connect with the other longitudinal side of an adjacent connecting unit. At least one hinge unit is configured to pivotally connect a corresponding connecting unit in the roof portion and a corresponding connecting unit in the lateral portion, and at least another hinge unit is configured to pivotally connect a corresponding connecting unit in the lateral portion and a corresponding connecting unit in the bottom portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to portable building structures, and more particularly to a folding shed that can be easily assembled and knocked down without the use of special tools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Storage building are widely used commercially and by home owners for a variety of purposes. Smaller sheds that can be mass produced and assembled by home owners are popular for storing garden equipment, tools, and the like.

However, when the shed is not in use, it may occupy a space because it is difficult to be disassembled. Even it can be disassembled, it may be troublesome for the user if he/she wants to use the shed again since the shed assembly process is not easy. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved folding shed to overcome the problems stated above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a folding shed may have a plurality of pivotal connecting portions and a plurality of connecting members. The pivotal connecting portions may include a first pair roof hinge units and a second pair roof hinge units; and the connecting members may include a first connecting unit and a pair of second connecting units.

More specifically, each of the first pair roof hinge units is pivotally connected with each longitudinal side of the first connecting unit respectively. Similarly, one of the first pair roof hinge units is pivotally connected with one longitudinal side of one of the second connecting units while the other longitudinal side of the second connecting unit is pivotally connected with one of the second pair roof hinge units. Symmetrically, the other second connecting units is pivotally connected with the other first pair roof hinge unit and the other second pair roof hinge unit on the longitudinal sides. It is noted that the first pair roof hinge units, the second pair roof hinge units, the first connecting unit and the second connecting units can be referred to a roof portion of the folding shed.

The folding shed may also include a lateral portion, which may include a first pair lateral connecting units, a second pair lateral connecting units and a pair of lateral hinge units. More specifically, one of the second pair roof hinge units is pivotally connected with one longitudinal side of one of the first pair lateral connecting unit, and the other longitudinal side of the first pair lateral connecting unit is pivotally connected with one of the lateral hinge unit. Similarly, one longitudinal side of one of the second pair lateral connecting units is connected to the lateral hinge unit while the other longitudinal side of the lateral connecting units is pivotally connected to one of a pair of bottom hinge units.

Symmetrically, the other first pair lateral connecting unit is pivotally connected with the other lateral hinge unit on one lateral side, and pivotally connected with the other second pair roof hinge unit on the other longitudinal side. Similarly, one longitudinal side of the other second pair lateral connecting units is connected to the lateral hinge unit while the other longitudinal side of the lateral connecting units is pivotally connected to one of a pair of bottom hinge units.

The folding shed may also include a bottom portion, which includes a pair of bottom connecting units, a pair of bottom hinge units and a bottom center hinge unit. Similar to the pivotal connection in the roof portion and lateral portion, the bottom center hinge unit is pivotally connected with one longitudinal side of each of the bottom connecting units, and the other longitudinal side of the bottom connecting units is connected with each of the bottom hinge units respectively.

It is noted that the most important advantage of the prevent invention is to minimize the size of the shed when it is not in use, so the shed can be easily stored or transported. The shed in the present invention can be folded to significantly reduce its size since the connecting units are all pivotally connected with the hinge units. More specifically, the second connecting units can be bent down to form an outermost portion of the shed when the shed begins to fold, and the first pair lateral connecting units, the second pair lateral connecting units and the bottom connecting units can be sequentially folded within the second connecting units.

In one embodiment, once the folding shed is fully extended, a partition can be added to the shed to strengthen the structure of the shed. Also, a plurality of utility boards can be also added to the shed. For example, a plurality of roof panels can be added to the roof portion, a front panel can added for decoration purposes, and a few door panels. In another embodiment, a partition board and a removable table/chair set can be disposed in the folding shed. In other words, when the user finishes using the shed, the partition board and the table/chair set can be removed, and the shed can again be folded to a compact size.

In another aspect, a folding shed may include a roof portion, a lateral portion and a bottom portion. Similar to the folding shed discussed above, the connecting units and the hinge units are all pivotally connected so the shed can be folded to a compact size when it is not in use.

More specifically, the roof portion may include a first pair connecting units, a second pair connecting units, a center roof hinge unit, a first pair hinge units and a second pair hinge units. Similar to the shed discussed above, for example, one of the first pair hinge units is pivotally connected with one of the first pair connecting units on one longitudinal side and the center roof hinge unit is pivotally connected with the other longitudinal side of the connecting unit. The pivotal connection is identical as discussed above throughout the connecting units and hinge units in the folding shed, and the shed can be folded to significantly reduce its size. In a further embodiment, two folding sheds can be juxtaposed to increase the space for the user to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one aspect of the folding shed in the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of the folding shed in FIG. 1 when it is folded.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of the folding shed in FIG. 1 when a partition structure and decoration boards are added to the shed.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the folding shed with a removable table/chair set and backboard in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another aspect of the folding shed in the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of the folding shed in FIG. 5 when it is folded.

FIG. 7 illustrates two juxtaposed folding sheds in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.

All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

In one aspect, as shown in FIG. 1 , a folding shed 100 may have a plurality of pivotal connecting portions 200 and a plurality of connecting members 300. The pivotal connecting portions 200 may include a first pair roof hinge units (210, 210′) and a second pair roof hinge units (220, 220′); and the connecting members 300 may include a first connecting unit 310 and a pair of second connecting units (320, 320′).

More specifically, each of the first pair roof hinge units is pivotally connected with each longitudinal side of the first connecting unit 310 respectively. Similarly, one of the first pair roof hinge units 210 is pivotally connected with one longitudinal side of one of the second connecting units 320 while the other longitudinal side of the second connecting unit 320 is pivotally connected with one of the second pair roof hinge units 220. Symmetrically, the other second connecting units 320′ is pivotally connected with the other first pair roof hinge unit 210′ and the other second pair roof hinge unit 220′ on the longitudinal sides. It is noted that the first pair roof hinge units (210, 210′), the second pair roof hinge units (220, 220′), the first connecting unit 310 and the second connecting units (320, 320′) can be referred to a roof portion 110 of the folding shed 100.

The folding shed 100 may also include a lateral portion 120, which may include a first pair lateral connecting units (330, 330′), a second pair lateral connecting units (340, 340′) and a pair of lateral hinge units (230, 230′). It is noted that the lateral portion 120 forming two lateral sides of the shed 100 that connects the roof portion 110 and the bottom portion 130. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , one of the second pair roof hinge units 220 is pivotally connected with one longitudinal side of one of the first pair lateral connecting unit 330, and the other longitudinal side of the first pair lateral connecting unit 330 is pivotally connected with one of the lateral hinge unit 230. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 1 , one longitudinal side of one of the second pair lateral connecting units 340 is connected to the lateral hinge unit 230 while the other longitudinal side of the lateral connecting units 340 is pivotally connected to one of a pair of bottom hinge units 240.

Symmetrically, the other first pair lateral connecting unit 330′ is pivotally connected with the other lateral hinge unit 230′ on one lateral side, and pivotally connected with the other second pair roof hinge unit 220′ on the other longitudinal side. Similarly, one longitudinal side of the other second pair lateral connecting units 340′ is connected to the lateral hinge unit 230′ while the other longitudinal side of the lateral connecting units 340′ is pivotally connected to one of a pair of bottom hinge units 240′.

The folding shed 100 may also include a bottom portion 130, which includes a pair of bottom connecting units (350, 350′), a pair of bottom hinge units (240, 240′) and a bottom center hinge unit 250. Similar to the pivotal connection in the roof portion and lateral portion, the bottom center hinge unit 250 is pivotally connected with one longitudinal side of each of the bottom connecting units (350, 350′), and the other longitudinal side of the bottom connecting units (350, 350′) is connected with each of the bottom hinge units (240, 240′) respectively.

It is noted that the most important advantage of the prevent invention is to minimize the size of the shed when it is not in use, so the shed can be easily stored or transported. The shed 100 in the present invention can be folded to significantly reduce its size since the connecting units are all pivotally connected with the hinge units. More specifically, the second connecting units (320, 320′) can be bent down to form an outermost portion of the shed 100 when the shed begins to fold, and the first pair lateral connecting units (330, 330′), the second pair lateral connecting units (340, 340′) and the bottom connecting units (350, 350′) can be sequentially folded within the second connecting units (320, 320′) as shown in FIG. 2 . It is noted that when the shed is in its fully closed configuration, all connecting units are parallel and perpendicular with the ground.

In one embodiment, once the folding shed 100 is fully extended, a partition 410 can be added to the shed 100 to strengthen the structure of the shed as shown in FIG. 3 . Also, a plurality of utility boards can be also added to the shed. For example, a plurality of roof panels (420, 430, 430′) can be added to the roof portion 110, a front panel 440 can added for decoration purposes, and a few door panels (450, 450′). In another embodiment, a partition board 510 and a removable table/chair set 500 can be disposed in the folding shed 100 as shown in FIG. 4 . In other words, when the user finishes using the shed, the partition board 510 and the table/chair set 500 can be removed, and the shed 100 can again be folded to a compact size as shown in FIG. 2 .

In another aspect, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , a folding shed 600 may include a roof portion 610, a lateral portion 620 and a bottom portion 630. Similar to the folding shed 100 discussed above, the connecting units and the hinge units are all pivotally connected so the shed 600 can be folded to a compact size when it is not in use.

More specifically, the roof portion 610 may include a first pair connecting units (611, 611′), a second pair connecting units (612, 612′), a center roof hinge unit 710, a first pair hinge units (711, 711′) and a second pair hinge units (712, 712′). Similar to the shed discussed above, for example, one of the first pair hinge units 711 is pivotally connected with one of the first pair connecting units 611 on one longitudinal side and the center roof hinge unit 710 is pivotally connected with the other longitudinal side of the connecting unit 611. The pivotal connection is identical as discussed above throughout the connecting units (611, 611′, 612, 612′, 621, 621′, 622, 622′, 631, 631′) and hinge units (710, 711, 711′, 712, 712′ 713, 713′, 714, 714′ 715, 715′) in the folding shed 600, and the shed 600 can be folded to significantly reduce its size as shown in FIG. 6 . In a further embodiment as shown in FIG. 7 , two folding sheds (800, 900) can be juxtaposed to increase the space for the user to use.

Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalents. 

1. A folding shed comprising a roof portion, a lateral portion and a bottom portion, said lateral portions forming two lateral sides of the shed that connects the roof portion and the bottom portion, wherein each roof portion, lateral portion and bottom portion includes a plurality of connecting units and hinge units, and each hinge unit is configured to pivotally connect with a longitudinal side of one connecting unit and pivotally connect with the other longitudinal side of an adjacent connecting unit, and wherein at least one hinge unit is configured to pivotally connect a corresponding connecting unit in the roof portion and a corresponding connecting unit in the lateral portion, and at least another hinge unit is configured to pivotally connect a corresponding connecting unit in the lateral portion and a corresponding connecting unit in the bottom portion, so that the folding shed has a fully extended configuration and a fully closed configuration, wherein when the folding shed is at the fully closed configuration, the corresponding connecting units of the bottom portion and the lateral portion are configured to be folded within the connecting units of the roof portion.
 2. The folding shed of claim 1, wherein when the folding shed is at the fully closed configuration, all connecting units are parallel and perpendicular with the ground. 